The Killing Song Part 27

The knife had fallen before Geth could reach Coron, but at least his killer had died. So had four other raiders-but not the one who swung a heavy club. Geth had woken to an aching head, snow red with blood and a sky black with smoke. The raiders were gone. Narath had fallen and screams came from the burning town.

Snow crunched under approaching feet. The approaching footfalls stopped for a long moment, then crunched forward again to stop at Geth's side.

"I thought you might come here," said Singe.

Geth glance up. The wizard was bundled in a Karrnathi-style coat topped off with a thick cloak. A dark hat with a wide brim was pulled well down, hiding his face and much of his blond hair, while his chin and the whiskers on it were hidden by a heavy scarf. Neither hat nor scarf could hide the black patch that covered his left eye, though. Geth let out a slow breath and stood up.

"Did you know about the statue?" he asked.

"I haven't seen it before, but I'd heard about it, yes," Singe said. "It was only erected a few years ago. It got some tempers up in the Blademarks. The lords of Deneith thought that erecting a memorial in front of a dung gate-" His hand rose and flicked toward a rusty, filth encrusted grate set into the wall a short distance away "-wasn't dignified, even if it was just for a rank and file mercenary. The elders of Narath insisted that the memorial stand where Coron fell. Eventually the crown of Karrnath became involved, and the elders won."

He looked over the statue. "Coron has become quite the local hero. I don't know what he would have thought of it himself, considering he wasn't the only one who died defending the gate. Robrand and I found both him and Bikk that day."

"Bikk wasn't Karrnathi," said Geth.

The wizard glanced at him and added. "The struggle messed up the snow. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if what Robrand and I really understood what we saw."

"You saw right," Geth told him bluntly. "There were three men defending the gate. Coron and Bikk died. I ran away." Singe tilted his head and narrowed his eye.

"Ekhaas," he said, "told Dandra that Wrath wouldn't bear the touch of a coward."

Geth growled. "Ekhaas told me that I didn't understand honor."

Singe's eyebrows rose. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing." He turned away from Coron's statue.

Singe caught his arm. "Geth, what happened here? You're the only one who knows the whole story. I spent years hating you because I blamed you for a ma.s.sacre."

Geth shook off the wizard's hand. "So did I," he said.

Singe sighed. "You're not going to tell me, are you?" he asked.

Geth didn't answer him.

Singe shook his head. "All right then." He reached into a pocket, brought out a silver flask, and twisted the top off it. "To our friends," he said, raising it. He drank and held the flask out.

Geth took it and raised it first to Singe, then to Coron's statue. "To other people's heroes," he said.

GLOSSARY.

Adar: A small nation on the continent of Sarlona. Homeland of the kalashtar.

Adar! Adar! Bhintava adarani!: An Adaran battlecry that translates to "Adar! Adar! Defend those who seek aid!"

Adolan: A druid of the Gatekeeper sect, killed in the Bonetree clan's attack on Bull Hollow.

Ahron: A hunter of the Bonetree clan, little more than a girl but still quick and deadly.

airship: A flying ship, held aloft by magical wood and the power of an elemental (either air or fire or both) bound to her. The elemental, in the form of a large ring around the belly of the ship, propels the ship and keeps her aloft.

Ashi: A former hunter of the Bonetree, she has turned her back on the clan after discovering her descent from House Deneith. She wields a ceremonial honor blade granted to her ancestor by House Deneith. She bears the Siberys Mark of Sentinel, a powerful dragonmark that patterns her entire body.

ashi: A dark gold reed. The inhabitants of the Shadow Marches use its starchy pith to make a type of bread.

Aundair: One of the original Five Nations of Galifar, Aundair is houses the seat of the Arcane Congress and the University of Wyrnarn. Currently under the rule of Queen Aurala ir'Wyrnarn.

Azhani: The language shared by the human clans of the Shadow Marches.

Bado: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

Balich, Coron: A member of the Frostbrand company killed at Narath.

ban: A goblin expression of non-commital agreement, roughly equivalent to "yeah" or "your funeral."

Batul: An elder orc druid of the Gatekeeper sect and the spiritual leader of the Fat Tusk tribe. He is blind in one eye, but gifted with prophetic dreams.

Bear: A cultural hero figure among shifters based on one of the animal forms of their lycanthrope ancestors. Usually referred to as "Cousin," Bear embodies the attributes of strength and caution.

Bibahronaz, Bava: A human woman of Zarash'ak, originally of the Howling Rabbit clan, and an old friend of Natrac's. Under the name Bava Bahron, she is an artist known across the Five Nations for her paintings.

Bibahronaz, Diad: One of Bava's sons. A half-orc.

Bibahronaz, Mine: One of Bava's daughters. A half-orc and twin of Ose.

Bibahronaz, Ose: One of Bava's daughters. A half-orc and twin of Mine.

Blademarks: The mercenary's guild of House Deneith.

bo: Azhani for "a place, a piece of land or an area."

Boar: A cultural hero figure among shifters based on one of the animal forms of their lycanthrope ancestors. Usually referred to as "Cousin," Boar represents tremendous endurance, but also unrestrained and reckless enthusiasm.

Bonetree clan: A human barbarian clan of the Shadow Marches, worshipers of the Dragon Below. The heart of their territory is an enormous earthen mound built over generations. The Azhani term is Drumasaz.

Breff: Huntmaster of the Bonetree clan.

Broken Mirror: A small gang of changeling mischief-makers found in Malleon's Gate and other areas of Lower Dura.

Bull Hollow: A hamlet on the far western edge of the Eldeen Reaches, devastated in an attack by Bonetree hunters and dolgrims in pursuit of Dandra.

byeshk: A rare metal, hard and dense with a purple sheen. Weapons made of byeshk are capable of inflicting great injuries on daelkyr and their creations.

"By the six kings!": A Dhakaani oath of sincerity.

chib: Goblin for "boss" or "big man." Used colloquially by goblins to refer to any taller humanoid, including hobgoblins, humans, and dwarves.

chuul: Monstrous creatures larger than a man, resembling huge crayfish with four powerful legs and enormous claws. The tentacles surrounding a chuul's mouth are capable of paralyzing its prey.

Cliffside: One of the wards of Sharn, a steep and narrow part of the city that rises up the cliffs from the waterfront on the Dagger River.

cold fire: Magical flame that produces no heat and doesn't burn. Cold fire is used to light most of the cities of Khorvaire.

crysteel: An alloy created from iron and a rare crystalline substance. Crysteel is used to make weapons favored by those skilled in psionics.

Dabrak: A bugbear member of the Longtooth.

daelkyr: Powerful lords of Xoriat, the daelkyr are madness and corruption personified. After the Daelkyr War, surviving daelkyr on Eberron were bound in the depths of Khyber by Gatekeeper druids.

Daelkyr War: An invasion of Eberron by creatures from Xoriat, led by the daelkyr, approximately nine thousand years before the present. Centered around the Shadow Marches, it ended with the defeat of the daelkyr by the united forces of the orcs of the Shadow Marches and the hobgoblins of the Empire of Dhakaan, but left both races decimated.

dagga: An orc expression of affirmation commonly used by folk of Zarash'ak. A more intense version, "Kuv dagga!" is akin to swearing a minor oath.

Dah'mir: A shapechanging dragon and a priest of the Dragon Below. Once leader of the Bonetree clan.

dahr: An Adaran expression for something or someone vile; pl. "dahri."

Dal Quor: Another plane of existence, the Region of Dreams. Mortal spirits are said to journey to Dal Quor when they dream. Kalashtar are the descendants of refugee spirits from Dal Quor who bonded with human hosts in order to enter Eberron.

Dandra: Superficially a kalashtar, Dandra is actually the consciousness of a psicrystal inhabiting the body of her creator, Tetkashtai. She wields a spear forged from crysteel, and specializes in whitefire, augmented by her skill with vayhatana.

Darguun: A nation of goblinoids, founded in 969 YK when a hobgoblin leader named Haruuc formed an alliance among the goblinoid mercenaries and annexed a section of southern Cyre. Breland recognized this new nation in exchange for a peaceful border and an ally against Cyre. Few people trust the people of Darguun, but their soldiers remain a force to be reckoned with.

daashor: A goblinoid artificer, especially one from the time of the Empire of Dhakaan. The secret knowledge of the daashor has largely vanished, but at one time they were capable of creating wonders. Most daashor were male.

d'Deneith, Mithas: An ambitious scion of House Deneith and a sorcerer, but not the bearer of a dragonmark. Mithas has risen to moderately high rank within the command of the Blademarks, though not by scrupulous means.

d'Deneith, Robrand: A dragonmarked heir of House Deneith, once leader of the Frostbrand company of the Blademarks, disgraced after the Ma.s.sacre at Narath.

d'Deneith, Toller: A dragonmarked heir of House Deneith, nephew to Robrand d'Deneith. Killed in the defense of Bull Hollow.

Deathsgate: A district in the Middle Tavick's Landing ward of Sharn with a reputation for attracting a tough population of adventurers and mercenaries. It takes its name from its proximity to one of Sharn's necropolises.

Deneith, House: A dragonmark house bearing the Mark of Sentinel. House Deneith operates services offering various forms of protection, including the mercenary companies of the Blademarks and the law enforcement services of the Sentinel Marshals.

Dhakaani Empire: see Empire of Dhakaan.

d'Lyrandar, Vennet: A dragonmarked half-elf of House Lyrandar, once captain of Lightning on Water. A follower of the Cult of the Dragon Below, now bound to Dah'mir.

dolgaunt: Horrid creatures created by the daelkyr from hobgoblins during the Daelkyr War, dolgaunts have long, powerful tentacles springing from their shoulders. They have no eyes but perceive their surroundings through sensitive cilia that cover their skin.

dolgrim: Foot soldiers in the armies of the daelkyr, dolgrims were created by the daelkyr from goblins. A dolgrim has four arms and two mouths and resembles two goblins crushed together.

Dragon Below, The: see Khyber dragonmark: 1) A mystical mark that appears on the surface of the skin and grants mystical powers to its bearer. 2) A slang term for the bearer of a dragonmark.

dragonshard: A form of mineral with mystical properties, said to be a shard of one of the great progenitor dragons. There are three different types of shard, each with different properties. A shard has no abilities in and of itself, but an artificer or wizard can use a shard to create an object with useful effects. Siberys shards fall from the sky and have the potential to enhance the power of dragonmarks. Eberron shards are found in the soil and enhance traditional magic. Khyber shards are found deep below the surface of the world and are used as a focus binding mystical energy.

Droaam: A nation on the west coast of Khorvaire. Once claimed by Breland, this region was never settled by humans and was known as a wild land filled with all manner of monsters and creatures that had been pushed back by the spreading power of Galifar. In 986 YK there was a movement to organize the creatures of Droaam into a coherent nation. While this has met with some success, the new nation has yet to be recognized by any other country.

Dura: One of the five quarters of Sharn. Dura is the oldest quarter of the city and its lower levels are home to the most impoverished inhabitants of Sharn.

duur'kala: Among the goblinoid tribes that consider themselves heirs to the lost Empire of Dhakaan, duur'kala preserve the history and knowledge of past ages. Their music is the most common form of magic among the tribes. Duur'kala means "dirge singers." Because the magical powers manifest mostly in females, duur'kala are sometimes refered to as "daughters of the dirge."

Eberron: 1) The world. 2) A mythical dragon said to have formed the world from her body in primordial times and to have given birth to natural life. Also known as "The Dragon Between." See Khyber, Siberys.

Ekhaas: A hobgoblin woman and a duur'kala of the Kech Volaar.

Eldeen Reaches: Once this term was used to describe the vast stretches of woodland found on the west coast of Khorvaire, inhabited mostly by nomadic shifter tribes and druidic sects. In 958 YK the people of western Aundair broke ties with the Audairian crown and joined their lands to the Eldeen Reaches, vastly increasing the population of the nation and bringing it into the public eye. Inhabitants are known as Reachers. Among themselves, Reachers refer to their homeland as "the Eldeen."

Empire of Dhakaan: An ancient empire ruled by hobgoblins, the Empire of Dhakaan stretched across southern Khorvaire millennia before the arrival of humans. Dhakaan was weaked by the Daelkyr War and collapsed about six thousand years before the present.

Fan Adar: A neighborhood of Overlook district. Many of the district's kalashtar and Adaran humans live in Fan Adar ("Small Adar"), giving the neighborhood a distinctive character.

Fat Tusk: A tribe of orcs living in the Shadow Marches.

Frostbrand: A Blademarks company of House Deneith, commanded by Robrand d'Deneith, specializing in wilderness and winter operations. It was disbanded after the Ma.s.sacre at Narath.

gaa'ma: Goblin pejorative term for changelings. Literally translated, it means "wax babies."

gaeth'ad: An orcish herbal tea that can be brewed with a variety of effects. Generally brewed and served by a gaeth'ad master.

Gatekeepers: A sect of druids, originators of the druidic tradition in the Shadow Marches and the Eldeen Reaches. Originally formed to defend Eberron from invasion by Xoriat during the Daelkyr War, they watch over the seals that bind the daelkyr in Khyber.

Gede Dhakaani?: Orc for "Where is the Dhakaani?" This question should be p.r.o.nounced carefully, lest it be confused with the term of affection gedaka a'ani, literally "bee who dances on my honeycomb."

Geth: A shifter veteran of the Last War, he served with the Frostbrand until the Ma.s.sacre at Narath. He wields a great-gauntlet, a magewrought gauntlet that is both shield and weapon, and an ancient Dhakaani byeshk blade named Wrath.

goblinoid: Common term for a member of one of the three goblin races-goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears.

Graywall: A city in Droaam at the border with Breland, considered the gateway to the kingdom of monsters.

Hanamelk: An influential elder among the kalashtar of Sharn.

Ha'azit teith!: Azhani expression of awe. Literally "Blood of the clan!"

Hona: An orc Gatekeeper of the Shadow Marches. She is a lorespeaker, one of those charged with pa.s.sing on the oral histories of the Gatekeepers.

Hruucan: A dolgaunt in the service of Dah'mir, killed by Singe's fire magic then reborn as a fiery undead creature driven by his need for revenge. Finally destroyed in Taruuzh Kraat.

illithid: An abomination from Xoriat, the plane of madness. An illithid is roughly the same size and shape as a human but possesses a squidlike head with tentacles arrayed around a fanged maw. Illithids feed on the brains of sentient creatures and possess the ability to paralyze or manipulate the minds of lesser creatures. Illithids are more commonly known as mind flayers.

il-Yannah: A word from the Quor tongue, translating to "the Great Light." This mystical force is the focus of the religion of the kalashtar.

"Itaa!": A goblin war-command equivalent to "Attack!"

Jhegesh Dol: A stretch of haunted swamp in the Shadow Marches, once the site of a daelkyr stronghold during the Daelkyr War.

kalashtar: The kalashtar are an offshoot of humanity. Stories say that the kalashtar are humans touched by spirits from another plane of existence and that they possess strange mental powers.